Pacific Masters Swimming - 11th, 12th August 2012

The 2012 Pacific Masters Long Course Championships were held at College of San Mateo instead of UC Santa Cruz as in previous years. The new venue is closer to San Francisco (about 30 minutes drive versus 90 minutes), bigger (with a dedicated 25 meter warm-up pool), had timing pads at both ends, and includes expansive grassy grounds to relax in.
(Video links below are available in up to 480p).

• 200 LC Meter Freestyle 2:21.54 (PR) (splits: 29.65, 34.20, 38.37, 39.32) - video
  As my splits and the video suggest, I raced the first half faster than I should have, but I was pleasantly surprised by the final result. Watch Lane 4 ("Druz, Loren", age 56) and Lane 7 ("Kenny, Daniel", age 55, red hat) for their counterattacks!
  Prior PR: 2:24.38, in 2011
• 400 LC Meter Freestyle Relay - video
  Confusion reigned when two of our four swimmers arrived late (after the start), and one of them had our timing card. This also seems to have distracted the timekeepers, or swimmers repeatedly bumped the timing pads as they exited, as our splits were screwed.
• 50 LC Meter Freestyle 27.11 - video
  Slower than I would have liked; I may have let myself be distracted by the swimmers on my left, and glided too far at the finish.
  PR: 26.58, in 2010
• 200 LC Meter Medley Relay
  Scratched. Some teammates didn't show up. 
• Mixed 200 LC Meter Freestyle Relay 26:54 - video
  I swam in place of "Chiang, Chris". After my previous attempt at 50 meters, I hit the wall with a bit too much enthusiasm.
• 100 LC Meter Freestyle 1:00.96 (PR) (splits: 28.17, 32.79) - video
  My goggles came off as soon as I dove in. This meant I slowed quite a bit while searching for the wall at the turn.
  Prior PR: 1:00.98, in 2011
• Mixed 400 LC Meter Mixed Medley Relay 1:18.70 (splits: 33.33, 45.37) - video
  I switched with "Letson, Mary" to swim butterfly instead of freestyle. This was my first 100 meter long course butterfly ever, and my first butterfly race in about 16 years. As you may see in the last 15 meters, I need more practice. :-)

Overall, it was a worthwhile and fun weekend. I raced two personal records, and made some mistakes to learn from. :-) It's also inspiring to compete in an event with men and women aged 18 through 96, and witness them break local, USA-national, and world records.

Official Results. Official splits. Official Points. Real-time (unofficial) results.

Thoughts for next time:

• Reapply sunscreen on neck, shoulders, and face, after every swim.
• Practice dives; keep my head down.
• Try 50m butterfly.

Pacific Masters Swimming - 9th & 10th July 2011

After enjoying the 2010 event, I returned in 2011 for the Pacific Masters Long course Championships at UC Santa Cruz. (It's a 50 meter pool despite that some of the headers claim yards).

Unfortunately I got a mild throat, sinus, and lung infection about 10 days prior to the competition; and an upset stomach the work-week before race-weekend. (The latter might have been due to nerves, or gorging on fine food and drink at a Sonoma wedding on July 3rd). I also had a nose bleed the day before.

In spite of imperfect preparation, colder & damper weather, and a lower turnout than in 2010, I enjoyed the weekend.

• 200 LC Meter Freestyle 2:24.38 (split: 1:05.28, 1:19.10)
  • 3.98 seconds faster than 2:28.36 in 2010, in part due to faster second split while chasing a better swimmer, who swam a slower first split.
• Mixed 400 LC Meter Freestyle Relay 5:48.82 (swam 100m free, split: 1:02.21)
  
• 50 LC Meter Freestyle 27.00
  
  • 0.42 seconds slower than 26.58 in 2010.
• Mixed 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 2:52.12 (swam 50m free)
• 200 LC Meter Freestyle Relay 1:57.52 (swam 50m free)
  
• 100 LC Meter Freestyle 1:00.98
  
• 400 LC Meter Medley Relay 5:08.68 (swam 100m free, split: 1:01.31)
  

Official Results. Official splits. Official Points (pdf).

Videos: 100m free, 400m medley relay.

Thoughts for next time:

• Don't sandbag entry times (as much).
• Wear SPF clothing and sunscreen - my pasty white shoulders and back sunburned through my sweater!

Pacific Masters Swimming - 11th July 2010

I missed/cancelled most of my 2010 races due to injury, including

• Bay to Breakers (20^th May, run)
  
• Escape from the Rock (20^th June, triathlon)
• Alcatraz Challenge (18^th July, aquathlon)
• Marin Century (7^th August, bike)
• San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz (29^th August, triathlon)
  

Fortunately my knee problems (discoid meniscus) (see following posts) didn't prevent swimming, so long as it was freestyle i.e. relatively little leg motion, knee bending or impact.

The 2010 Pacific Masters Long Course Championship was held in UC Santa Cruz from July 9^th to 11^th. I competed as part of the USF team on Saturday July 10^th. Given my injury and lack of training, I was very pleasantly surprised by my performance - it was faster than at my "peak" in my teens when I trained five or six times a week, and often raced twice a month.

• 200 LC Meter Freestyle: 2:28.36 (splits 1:05.37, 1:22.99)
• 400 LC Meter Freestyle Relay: 4:13.97 (split: 1:00.09)
• 50 LC Meter Freestyle: 26.58

My lack of recent race-experience and stamina is telling from my 200 meter splits - they are embarrassingly front-loaded. I also had my share of race-drama - my goggles broke as I was about to mount the blocks for my relay swim. Luckily a teammate promptly loaned replacements.


Official results. Official splits.

Here's hoping I can get race-fit in time for the Pacific Masters Swimming Short Course Meters Championships, on October 8^th through 11^th.

Swim distance converters:

• Swimming World
• Huntsville Swim Association